Decentralizing Digital Identity: Open Challenges for Distributed Ledgers

Abstract

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) has been proposed as a new way to incorporate decentralization into a wide range of digital infrastructures. Applications of DLT to digital identity are increasing in prevalence, with a recent survey reporting that 55% of DLT technologies in development track digital identity. However, while proofs of concept, open source software, and new ideas are readily available, it is still unclear the extent to which DLT can play a role to underpin new forms of digital identity. In this position paper, we situate this fast-moving application domain into the broader challenges faced in digital identity, with the aim to highlight the socio-technical nature of the challenge at hand, and to propose directions for future research.